Charco El Ataúd

 2.5/5

Getting there: From San Juan, drive 2 hours west and south (or south then west, there are two routes that take about the same time) to the interior of the island. Park on the side of the road at the pin location, a trail will be visible from the road. Hike down a fairly steep downhill trail to get to the river. Getting down to the pools pictured requires stashing your things somewhere scrambling down rocks.

Things to do: Get in the water – There are multiple pools that you can swim in, the largest is the lowest. There is a cliff jumping spot across the way from where you enter the large, main pool.

Heads up: Scrambling down and back up the rock to get to the main pool is genuinely tricky and certainly not possible for everyone. There was some gross looking foam in the corner of the middle pool that was giving me brain-eating amoeba vibes so I didn’t get in that one.

Pros

Multiple pools to swim in.
Usually uncrowded or empty.
Cliff jumping.

Cons

A short but steep hike.
Difficult entry into the main pool.